Bread slicing machine



Jun 30, 1936. H. J. CRINER 2,045,838

BREAD SLIC ING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1955 INVENTOR.

I I f A ORNEYS,

Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orsis Harry J. Criner,

one-half to A.

Davenport, Iowa, assignor of 0. Bush, Davenport, Iowa Application June 10, 1935, Serial No. 25,759

The lower ends of the connecting rods, 8 and 9,

14 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in bread slicing machines having a plurality of reciprocating slicing blades.

The objects of my invention are to provide a bread slicing machine of superior simplicity and ease ofmanufacture which will occupy a very small space and will have readily interchangeable slicing units so as to provide for changing the gauge or thickness of the slices of bread by a mere interchange of parts of the machine without the necessity of adjusting various parts when changing gauge. 7,

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in -which;-'

Figure l is a vertical section of my machine on the line I-I of Figure 2; V

Figure 2 is a rear elevation with a part of the upper and lower housings and bread table cut away and showing the interior in section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, referring to the right of Figure 1 as the rear and to the left of Figure l as the front;

Figure 3 is a detail showing one of the guide rolls and bearing plates bearing thereon;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail plan view of a portion of the guide plate;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail showing a portion of one of the bearing plates, II], in section, with lug, II, and lower end of blade, I4, secured therein. j

My machine comprises side frames or plates, I, having feet, 2, formed integral therewith and having inwardly extending flanges, "Ia, formed integral therewith. These side plates form closed sides for the machine and are spaced apart and held in position by lower housing plates, 26 and 26a, and by an upper housing plate, 25, preferably formed in substantially inverted U-sh-ape, but with diverging arms. The housing plates may be united to the flanges, Ia, by rivets, I', bolts, or other suitable means. 'But I prefer to use stud bolts or set screws for this purpose, as being more readily removable.,

Extending crosswise'of the machine to form a support for the motor are two angle irons, 20, resting upon the lower portions of the flanges, Ia, and upon these'angle irons I mount the feet, 4', of the motor, 4. A motor shaft/5, extends outwardly at each endof the motor and carries at each end arms or connecting rods, 8 and 9. The arms or connecting rods, 8 and 9, are formed integral'with bearing plates, III. The bearing plates, I0, and connecting rods, 8 and 9, are arranged in substantially U-shape form and are made interchangeable.

"distance to form a firm be secured therein cutting blades,

are provided with ofise t eccentric rings, 5 and I,

which embrace eccentrics, 8' and "I, keyed upon the ends of the motor shaft, 5.

so as to and i, are offset of the connecting rods,

times to opposite sides The rings, 6 keep the lower ends 8 and 9, centered at all of the center of the shaft,

5. The connecting rods, 8 and 9, have theirupper portions crossed and the bearing plates, IE3,

stand at a substantial In each of the side the bearing plates, ID, I pivot bolts, I3, which may to the side plates in any desired manner.

the inner end of the angle to the vertical.

frames, I, at the level of mount stub shafts or be detachably secured Upon pivot bolts, I3, I mount guide rolls, I2, which extend inwardly a sufiicient bearing for bearing plates, II], at both ends thereof.-

Upon the inner faces of the bearing plates I provide a series of lugs, II.

of the bearing plates,

ternate with the lugs upon plate, I0. These lugs lower ends of other suitable means.

Brackets, 22,-are formed 7 I a of the side plates and support 'a The guide The lugs upon one II], are staggered and alare slotted to admit the the cutting blades, I4, which may by pivot pins, II, or .by any integral with the rear I5, which may be united screws, IE, or other suitplates, I5, 7 are preferbearing material and are I4, at their front edge through whichthe upper ends of the cutting blades I4, pass, the slots, l4, width to act as In the guide plate,

guides for the being the proper cutting blades.

I5, I form a plurality of bores, I9, spaced to correspond with the spacing of the slots, M. In

these bores, I9, I secure by pressfit or other suitable means, aplurality of supporting rods,'I'I from the guide plate,

, which project upwardly I5, and the upper ends of which are bent at right angles to afford attachment for one end of a plurality of springs, 21,

the lower ends of whichthe upper ends of the are adapted to exert -A bread chute or plates, I, by bolts,

are united severally to cutting blades, I 4, which tension upwardly on the cutting blades at all times. i

' table, 23, having downwardly extending side flanges, 24, is united to the side 23', the middle portion of which is slotted to provide for passage of the It, but the slots in the bread plate are not to act as'guides for the cutting blades, I4, nor to com e in contact therewith at the opposed bearing all, as the lower ends of the cutting blades will be properly guided by the lugs, H, and no other guide therefor will be necessary.

The bread table, 23, is preferably made of sections so that the comb-shaped middle section may be removed when necessary to change the slicing units without disturbing the front and rear sections.

It is obvious that with the U-shaped driving frames comprising the connecting rods, 8 and 9, and bearing plates, l8, formed and mounted as described, the upward pull of the cutting blades, I 4, upon the bearing plates, ID, will necessarily draw the bearing faces of the plates, l0, into close contact with the guide rolls, l2, .and retain them in contact therewith at all times so that no tractive means attached to the bearing plates, ID, will be necessary to draw them toward each other and keep them in contact with the guide rolls, i 2.

My form of .apparatus makes it a very simple matter to change the gauge of a cutting machine for slices of different thicknesses. 'I he U-shaped frames can be readily removed from the crank shaft, 5, and the guide plate, l5, together with the supports, l7, attached thereto and the springs, 21, and the cutting blades, I4. can all be removed without detaching same from each other and a new unit or assembly having the desired spacing or gauge may then be inserted and likewise new U-shaped frames, including arms or connecting rods, 8 and 9, and bearing plates, It can be mounted upon the motor shaft and the cutting blades attached to the lugs as described.

Suitable openings, 25, may be formed in the rear faces of the top housing to permit access to the set screws, l6, and facilitate the changes just described.

In the operation of my apparatus, the loaves of bread are placed upon the table or chute, 23, and moved forwardly into contact with the cutting blades, M, which are reciprocated by the turning of the crank shaft, 5, thus slicing the bread and the travel of the oncoming loaves will carry the sliced loaves on out to the discharge end of the table, 23.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not limit my claims to the precise forms shown in the drawing. i

It is obvious that the relative angle of the connecting rods, 8 and 9, and the extent of the offset of the eccentric rings, 5 and 7, may be varied as desired without departing from the spirit of my invention. 7 a a In practice it will be found that very little angle from the vertical will be sufiicient topermit the tension of the springs, 21, to keep the faces of the bearing plates, it in constant contact with the guide rolls, [2, and it is only necessary that sufficient tension be applied thereto to keep contact and prevent a jumping or irregular movement of the guide plates. I

Either plain. or roller or ball bearings may be used on the eccentrics and the rings, 6 and I, may completely encircle the eccentrics, 6' and 1', -or they may be split or bolted together as in Figure 1.

I claim:

1. A bread slicing machine comprising a'housing, a drive shaft mounted therein having opposed eccentrics formed upon both extended ends thereof, a pair of U-shaped frames comprising transverse bearing plates and connecting rods formed integral therewith mounted in intermediately crossed relation upon the eccentrics and adapted to be reciprocated thereby when the eccentrics rotate, alternating series of lugs formed upon the bearing plates, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and having their lower ends pivotally secured in the series of lugs respective- 7 1y, stub shafts united to the housing at opposite sides thereof and extending inwardly at the level of the bearing plates, guide rolls rotatably mounted upon the stub shafts and projecting between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, resilient means mounted in the housing and. united to the top of the cutting blades tending to exert tension series of lugs respectively, stub shafts united to the housing at opposite sides thereof and extending inwardly at the level of the bearing plates,

guide rolls rotatably mounted upon the stub shafts and projecting between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, driving means mounted in the housing to which the connecting arms are united adapted to reciprocate the frames in alternation, and resilient meansmount e d in the housing and united to the top of the cutting blades tending to exert tension upwardly thereon and to hold the adjacent faces of the bearing'plates in continuous contact with the guide rolls.

3. A bread slicing machine comprising a housing, .a drive shaft mounted therein having 0pposed eccentrics formed upon both extended ends thereof, a pair of interchangeable U-shaped frames comprising transverse bearing plates and connecting rods formed integral therewith mounted in intermediately crossed relation upon the eccentrics and adapted to be reciprocated thereby when the eccentrics rotate, alternating series of lugs formed upon the bearing plates, a

plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and havingtheir lowerv ends pivotally secured in the series of lugs respectively, stub shafts united to the housing at opposite sides thereof and extending inwardly at the level of the bearing plates, guide rolls rotatably mounted upon the stub shafts and projecting between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, resilient means mounted in the housing and united to the top of the cutting blades tending to exert tension upwardly thereon and to hold the adjacent faces of the bearing plates in continuous contact with the guide rolls, and means to support the bread during the slicing operation.

4. ,A bread slicing machine comprising a housing, a drive'shaft, mounted therein having opposed eccentrics formed upon both extended ends thereof, a pair of U-shaped frames'comprising transverse bearing plates and connecting rods formed integral therewith mounted in crossed relation upon the eccentrics and adapted to be F reciprocated thereby when the eccentrics rotate, alternating series of lugs formed upon the bearingfplates, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and having their lower ends pivotally secured in the series of'lugs respectively,

stub shafts united to the housing at oppositev sides thereof and extending inwardly at the level of the bearing plates, guide rolls rotatably mounted upon the stub shafts and projecting between the inner facesof the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, and a detachable guide and blade tensioning assembly mounted in the housing and comprising a slotted transverse guide plate, a plurality of supporting rods mounted therein, with resilient means united to the supporting rods and the upper ends of the cutting blades adapted to exert continuous tension upon the cutting blades in an upward direction.

5. A bread slicing machine comprising a housing, a drive shaft mounted therein .having opposed eccentrics formed upon both extended ends thereof, a pair of interchangeable U-shaped frames comprising transverse bearing plates and connecting rods formed integral therewith mounted in crossed relation upon the eccentries and adapted to be reciprocated thereby when the eccentrics rotate, alternating series of lugs formed upon the bearing plates, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and having their lower ends pivotally secured in the series of lugs respectively, stub shafts united to the housing at opposite sides thereof and extending inwardly at the level of the bearing plates, guide rolls rotatably mounted upon the stub shafts and projecting between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted'to guide the bearing plates, and a detachable guide and blade tensioning assembly mounted in the housing and comprising a slotted transverse guide plate, a plurality of supporting rods mounted therein, with resilient means united to the supporting rods and the upper ends of the cutting blades adapted to exert continuous tension upon the cutting blades in an upward direction.

6. A bread slicing machine comprising a housing, a pair of U-shaped frames comprising transverse bearing plates and connecting arms formed integral therewith mounted in crossed relation, alternating series of lugs formed upon the inner faces of the bearing plates, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and having their lower ends pivotally secured in the series of lugs respectively, stub shafts united to the housing at opposite sides thereof and extending inwardly at the level of the bearing plates, guide rolls rotatably mounted upon the stub shafts and projecting between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, driving means mounted in the housing to which the connecting arms are united adapted to reciprocate the frames in alternation, a detachable guide and blade tensioning assembly mounted in the housing and comprising a slotted transverse guide plate, a plurality of supporting rods mounted therein, resilient means united to the supporting rods and the upper ends of the cutting blades adapted to exert continuous tension upon the cutting blades in an upward direction.

'7. A bread slicing machine comprising a housing, a pair of interchangeable U-shaped frames comprising transverse bearing plates and connecting arms formed integral therewith mounted in crossed relation, alternating series of lugs formed upon the inner faces of the bearing plates, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and having their lower ends pivotally secured in the series of lugs respectively, stub shafts united to the 'housingat opposite sides thereof and extending inwardly at the level of the bearing plates, guide rolls rotatably mounted upon the stub shafts and projecting between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, driving means mounted in the housing to which the connecting arms are united'adapted to reciprocate the frames in alternation, and a detachable guide and blade tensioning assembly mounted in the housing and comprising a slotted transverse guide plate, a plurality of supporting rods mounted therein, with resilient means united to the supporting rods and the upper ends of the cutting blades adapted to exert continuous tension upon the cutting blades in an upward direction.

8. A bread slicing machine comprising a housing, a drive shaft mounted therein having opposed eccentrics formed upon both extended ends thereof, a pair of U-shaped frames comprising transverse bearing plates and connecting rods formed integral therewith mounted in crossed relation upon the eccentrics and adapted to be reciprocated thereby when the eccentrics rotate,

alternating series of lugs formed upon the bear ing plates, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and having their lower ends pivotally secured in the series of lugs respectively, stub shafts united to the housing at opposite sides thereof and extending inwardly at the level of the bearing plates, guide rolls rotatably mounted upon the stub shafts and projecting between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, and

guide and blade tensioning means mounted in the housing and comprising a slotted transverse guide plate, a plurality of supporting rods mounted therein, with resilient means united to the supporting rods and the upper ends of the cutting blades adapted to exert continuous tension upon the cutting blades in an upward direction.

9. In a bread slicing machine having a housing with reciprocating cutting blades mounted therein, a detachable blade supporting, driving and tensioning unit comprising a pair of U-shaped frames detachably mounted upon and adapted to be driven by eccentrics, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two alternating series having their lower ends pivotally united to the respective frames in series, a guide plate detachably mounted in the housing, slots formed in the guide plate adapted to receive and guide the upper end of the cutting blades, a plurality of supporting rods seated in the guide plate extending upwardly therefrom, and resilient means attached to the upper ends of the rods and to the upper ends of the cutting blades adapted to continuously exert tension upwardly upon the cutting blades.

10. In a bread slicing machine having a housing with reciprocating cutting blades mounted therein, a detachable blade supporting, driving and tensioning unit comprising a pair of U -shaped frames detachably mounted upon and adapted to be driven by a drive shaft, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two alternating series having their lower ends pivotally united to the respective frames in series, a guide plate detachably mounted in the housing, slots formed in the guide plate adapted to receive and guide the upper end of the cutting blades, a plurality of supporting rods seated in the guide plate extending upwardly therefrom,- and resilient means attached to the upper ends of the rods and to the upper ends of the cutting blades adapted to continuously exert tension upwardly upon the cutting blades.

11. In a bread slicing machine having a housing and a plurality of cutting blades reciprocatingly mounted therein, a detachable guide and blade tensioning assembly mounted in the housing and comprising a slotted transverse guide plate, a plurality of supporting rods mounted therein corresponding to the number of blades, and separate resilient means united to each of the supporting rods severally and to the upper end of its corresponding cutting blade adapted to exert continuous tension thereon in an upward direction.

12. In a bread slicing machine having a housing and a plurality of cutting blades reciprocatingly mounted therein, a detachable guide and blade tensioning assembly mounted in the housing and comprising a slotted transverse guide plate, a plurality of supporting rods mounted therein, corresponding to the number of blades, and separate tension springs having their upper ends united to the supporting rods severally and their lower ends united to the upper ends of the cutting blades.

13. A bread slicing machine comprising a housing, a drive shaft mounted therein having opposed eccentrics formed upon both extended ends thereof, a pair of U-shaped frames compris ing transverse bearing plates and connecting rods formed integral therewith mounted in interme diately crossed relation upon the eccentrics and adapted to be reciprocated thereby when the cocentrics rotate. alternating series of lugs formed upon the bearing p1ates,'a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and having their lower ends pivotally secured in the series of lugs respectively, guides united to the housing at opposite sides thereof projecting between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, and resilient means mounted in the housing and united to the top of the cutting blades tending to exert tension upwardly thereon and to hold the adjacent faces of the bearing plates in continuous contact with the guides, and means. to support the bread dure ing the slicing operation.

14. A bread slicing machine comprising a housing, a pair of U-shaped frames comprising transverse bearing plates and connecting arms formed integral therewith mounted in intermediately crossed relation, alternating series of lugs formed upon the inner faces of the bearing plates, a plurality of cutting blades arranged in two series and having their lower ends pivotally secured in the series of lugs respectively, guides united to the housing at opposite sides thereof and extending inwardly between the inner faces of the opposed bearing plates and adapted to guide the bearing plates, driving means mounted in the housing to which the connecting arms are united adapted to reciprocate the frames in alternation, and resilient means mounted in the housing and united to the top of the cutting blades tending to exert tension upwardly thereon and to hold the adjacent faces of the bearing plates in continuous contact with the guides.

' HARRY J. CRINER. 

